Hi
All change again ! Some of you may remember my hubby got his primary diagnosis on Friday as retro molar trigone - this is NOT so apparently. It's base of tongue so it changes the treatment.
We spent 4 hours yesterday seeing 2 consultants. Most of the time was spent waiting though 
. Anyway , good news is no neck resection yayyyyy. We were told early on neck resection would be likely due to the affected lymph node . Treatment is going to be 6 weeks of radiotherapy to both sides of neck - higher dose to the affected side (right) and also chemo (cisplatin) but this will be a low dose, given every week for the 6 weeks . Having read previous posts isn't it usual to have just 2 or 3 chemo??
We are back Monday for Harry to have his teeth checked - he is sure this will be fine. Providing it is they will fit the mask next week too . Maybe fit peg week after but they have said it can be fitted after treatment has started. We was told things will move fast. They certainly are !!!
Thanks again to this amazing group . Your comfort and support has been invaluable
Lisa x
Just confirming what Ray said, cisplatin is given in different ways, depending on oncologist opinions/clinical reasons. Mine was one right at the start of RT, the next three weeks in and the third would've been six weeks in if I'd been fit enough to have it; I think that was just the way they did it at my hospital, everyone else I met there who had it was on the same regime. Other hospitals plainly prefer smaller doses weekly.
I was told that the RT is the main "curative" treatment but that chemo upped the success rate by 5%.
Time does suddenly move fast once things start to happen, it'll be over before you know it. Good luck to you both!
Metastatic SCC diagnosed 8th October 2013. Modified radical neck dissection November, thirty-five radiotherapy fractions with 2xCisplatin chemo Jan/Feb 2014. Recurrence on larynx diagnosed July 2020 so salvage laryngectomy in September 2020.
Lisa
Great that you have your plan in place.
My cancer was base of tongue on one side. I had no nodal involvement so no chemo. The tongue is regarded as a midline organ so that’s why you get RT to both sides. It’s good it’s less on the unaffected side as at full strength it really knackers the salivary glands.
Acupuncture for salivary function is something I have explored and there is research to show that it might well be more effective given during radiotherapy rather than after.
I know you have a lot to think about but there is quite a time lapse between mask fitting and RT as there is a lot of computer planning to do so you might think about exploring acupuncture?
Just a thought and good luck to you both.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
